


In the Arms of All I'm Keeping Here

by dnpnotfound



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adopted Children, Childhood Trauma, Domestic Fluff, Family Dynamics, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Foster Care, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, No Romance, Not Beta Read, Sleepy Bois Inc as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-19 04:54:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29745297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dnpnotfound/pseuds/dnpnotfound
Summary: Philza Minecraft is perfectly happy with his two adopted sons- Technoblade and Wilbur. Even though three kids were always his plan, they keep him busy enough as it is. However, maybe, just maybe there's room for one more child. or maybe two?Basically, just an SBI family fic where Techno and Wilbur were adopted by Phil at birth, then when they are older, he fosters Tommy and eventually Tubbo as well.TW FOR REFERENCED CHILD ABUSE AS WELL AS REFERENCED ALCOHOL ABUSE
Comments: 11
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

Philza pulled into his driveway, slightly annoyed at his presence here. He hopped out of his sliver minivan and ambled into the two-storey pink stucco house. He made his way to the kitchen and prepared a sandwich. Stuffing it into a bag, he rushed out of the house again. Phil paused briefly once in the car to pull out his phone. Dialling, he put the phone on speaker and pulled out of the driveway.

“Hello, Mr. Dream, yes I am on my way. Tell Techno I’m coming.” He pressed “End Call” and relaxed. This was the third time Techno had forgotten his lunch this week, he was going to have to do something about this. 

After a brief drive, Phil arrived at Lakeshore Elementary. He headed for Mr. Dream’s 3rd-grade class. He quickly spotted his pink-haired kid among the others. 

“Technoblade! I’ve got your lunch, kiddo!” Phil called out. Techno rushed over, a frustrated look on his face,  
“I can’t believe I forgot again! I’m super sorry Dad! I’m so dumb.” He mumbled the last part, looking down at his feet. Phil crouched down, looking eye-to-eye with his beloved son,

“Don’t worry about it, buddy. Here ya go,” He handed the bag to Techno, “You’re definitely not dumb, I promise.” He rose back up and ruffled Techno’s hair. He felt a sudden tension around his left leg. Glancing down he found a little black-haired boy, gripping his leg fiercely. Phil shuffled forward, pulling the boy with him.

“Hey there Ranboo, what are you up to?” Ranboo gave a mischievous smile,

“Now, you can’t leave!” Phil laughed loudly, drawing the attention of Techno’s teacher, Mr. Dream,

“Ranboo, please leave Mr. Minecraft alone. We don’t cling to stranger’s legs.” Ranboo let go, standing up with a sour look on his face. Phil put his hands on Ranboo’s shoulders,

“Oh, we’re hardly strangers! This boy’s like my third son!” Removing his hands, Phil walked over to Techno again, giving him a brief hug,  
“Watch out for your best friend Techy.” He turned to Mr. Dream, “Well, I best be on my way then.” Phil waved to Mr. Dream on his way out,

“Have a good afternoon! I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Phil headed out to the parking lot and got in his minivan, glancing at the clock on the dashboard, it read 11:53 AM. Perfect, he had just enough time to get to a meeting at the software company he worked at. However, he knew his thoughts would be stuck on his youngest son all afternoon.

********************************************************

The yellow school bus screeched to a halt, startling Phil as he glanced up from his phone. Ever since Wilbur’s first day of kindergarten Phil had promised him he’d be there when the bus arrived. He hadn’t broken this promise yet, he knew the damage a broken promise could cause. First, a familiar pink-headed boy popped out and jogged over, waving aggressively. Phil chuckled, waving back. A few kids back from Techno was a boy with glasses too big for his face and a curly mop of brown hair. Wilbur made his way over to his father and brother slowly, grinning brightly. Phil pulled his two boys into a bear hug, as he did every day,

“Hello, m’boys! How was your day? What kind of adventures did you get up to?” Techno immediately began to speak,

“I climbed a tree and Mr. Dream got mad at me, but I said you wouldn’t mind.” He stated matter-of-factly. Phil smiled, it was true, he didn’t mind. 

“Ok, well why don’t you tell me more about that on the way home?” He grabbed his son’s hands, Techno on his right and Wilbur on his left, and began to walk towards their home. Techno continued to detail how he managed to get up the tree. After a few minutes, Phil interrupted,

“Wilbur? How about you? How was your day?” Wilbur had always been the quieter of the two and Phil knew that if he wasn’t prompted, he wouldn’t speak at all. Wilbur grinned,

“It was good. We had music today! I got to play the guitar and Niki sang!” Techno clapped,

“I’m sure you were fantastic! Niki was probably great too!” Phil paused for a moment,

“Where is Niki, anyways?” The shy, blonde girl lived next door and often walked home with the trio. Wilbur and Niki had been best friends ever since Niki moved next door when they were four. Wilbur shrugged,

“I dunno, she said she some appointment or something.” Phil nodded to himself, it made sense after all. 

The crew finally arrived home and Phil unlocked the door, glad himself to be home. Techno and Wilbur both dumped their bags and scampered up the stairs, probably on their way to play Minecraft. As a video game junkie himself, Phil had gotten his boys into them at a young age. He began to think about today’s lunchtime incident.

“Maybe I could set up some sort of system? So he doesn’t forget? Maybe a checklist? That would work!” Phil set about gathering the necessary supplies.

Techno’s stomach rumbled. He threw the controller he was holding onto his bed. 

“I’m going to get a snack, be back in a sec.” Wilbur nodded mutely, focused on the game at hand. Techno hopped down the stairs and noticed his father cutting paper at the table  
.  
“Hey, Dad! Whatcha doing?” Phil jumped,

“Jesus! You scared me, kiddo! I’m making a little something to help you remember your lunch from now on.” Phil turned back to his work. Techno tilted his head in confusion,

“Ummmmm, what is it?” 

“It’s a checklist! See here’s a list of all the stuff you need for school, and here’s the little paper you put next to it once you’ve packed it.” Phil pointed out the different items he had written out. Techno walked to the cupboard and pulled out a package of crackers,

“So, you’re not mad? You’re not gonna give me back to the adoption people?” Unlike Wilbur, who had always known he was adopted, Phil had to inform Techno when he was four. Ever since he’s struggled with the fear of being given up. Phil stood up and walked up to his son. He placed his hands on his shoulders.

“Technoblade Piglin Minecraft. I would never in a million years ever give you back. You are my son, I love you and I’m not mad.” Techno looked as if he had something to say, but Phil continued, “But! Even if I were mad, which I’m not, I would still never give you up. You don’t give up someone precious to you even if they make a mistake.” 

Phil pulled Techno into a tight hug, the smaller burrowing his head into Phil’s stomach. He was precious to Phil, and he was safe. Phil made everyone feel safe. 

********************************************************

“Bedtime!” Phil called down the hallway. Wilbur’s head popped out of his room, a pout on his face,

“Daaad, I’m almost done with this song! Pleeeeease can I finish it?” Phil shook his head, he was quite the lenient parent, but bedtime was the one time he was strict. 9 pm sharp, every night, almost no exceptions

“You can finish it in the morning Willy Whale.” He knew pulling out the affectionate nickname would get Wilbur to listen. Wilbur sighed,

“Fine, I’m going to put on my pyjamas.” He disappeared into his room. Phil turned and knocked on Techno’s door, he always made sure to respect their privacy.

“Come in!” A sleepy voice called through the door. Phil entered the room and found Techno already snuggled in his bed, a book on his nightstand. Phil sat down on the side of the bed and grabbed the book  
.  
“Ok then, onto the next chapter of Percy Jackson.” Phil reminisced about how he read this same book to Wilbur when he was much younger. It had become a sort of tradition to him. If he were to ever have a third child, he’d have to read this to them as well.  
As Phil finished the last word, he could hear a gentle snore. Techno had fallen asleep. Phil smiled, pressed a fond kiss to the boy’s forehead and quietly exited.

“Ok, Wilbur, are you ready for bed? Can I come in?” Phil could hear frantic shuffling behind the door,

“Yeah, you can come in!” Phil pushed open the door to reveal Wilbur rifling through his drawers in a desperate search for some pyjamas. Phil sighed,

“So you are not ready for bed it would seem.” Wilbur shook his head,

“I’m sorry, but I was close to learning all of Wonderwall on the guitar and I just wanted to finish!” Phil walked over and patted his son’s head comfortingly,

“I get, Willy, I do. But you gotta understand why I’m so strict with your bedtime. Sleep is super duper extra important for kids your age and your brain doesn’t work right without it. Do you understand now?” Wilbur nodded,

“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry. I’m changing now.” Phil ruffled his hair and exited the room, giving the boy a chance to change. A few minutes later, Wilbur called for Phil,

“Ok! I’m ready!” Phil strode into the room and crouched over by the bed, where Wilbur was already lying. 

“Would you like me to read you a story?” Wilbur nodded and gestured to the floor by the bed. Phil picked up, a bit surprised by the request, as Wilbur rarely asked for a story anymore. As he read the title, he began to understand,

“The Lonely Lion? Wilbur, is anything wrong? I know this is your sad times story.” Wilbur shook his head,

“No, not really. I just feel a bit sad is all.” Phil kissed his cheek,

“Ok, if there is anything though, I’m always ready to talk.” Wilbur nodded and burrowed further into his blankets, ready for the story. 

Halfway through the book, Phil noticed Wilbur had stopped shuffling about. As he glanced over, he found the boy asleep. Phil kissed Wilbur’s forehead as he had done with Techno and slipped out the door. Once in the hallway, he sighed a little sigh of relief. He loved being a dad, wouldn’t give it up for the world, but a man needed some alone time too.

********************************************************

Several hours later, Phil lay on the couch, mindlessly watching some film. He mulled over Techno’s statement from that afternoon. The day he adopted the two boys, he made it his mission to make sure they were as safe and happy as they could be. Phil sighed, Techno’s words made him wonder if he had completed his mission at all. However, his muffled “Dad makes everyone feel safe” comforted Phil, he knew the boy hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but that just made it all the more sincere.

It had been so long since he’d adopted them, Phil wondered if the foster care system had improved at all. He had always known he wanted to adopt or foster. Babies, he decided because he liked the idea of saving at least one child from the fate of growing up in the foster care system. Three kids had been the plan, but Techno and Wilbur had always kept him busy and so it never really came up. Phil was happy with his life, he was happy with his two wonderful sons. Life was good.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, I was not expecting nearly 200 reads already! Thank you all so much!   
> Leave me a comment about what you like and don't like, I really appreciate all feedback.   
> Also if you want to follow me on twitter @dnpnotfound   
> <3 <3 <3 <3

A few months passed without a major incident. The checklist had worked brilliantly, Techno hadn’t forgotten his lunch even once. Wilbur had fully learned Wonderwall and would play it for anyone who would listen. He and Niki had even started a small duo they called “Wilbur and the Whales”. Phil had attended every single one of their performances, proud his son had such talent. The trouble all started one evening when Phil was driving to pick up Techno from his fencing class.

  
  


Phil turned the corner and relaxed a bit, Techno’s fencing class was quite a ways away from their home and it involved a lot of highway driving. He had finally made it back into a more residential area. Phil turned up the radio, which was playing the news. A woman spoke in a quick, clipped tone,

“According to recent data, the number of children in foster care has gone up 11% in the last four years. Advocacy groups are demanding more funding to help keep up with the influx, but Parliament has continued to stand against this.” Phil scratched his chin,

“ _ God, the system was already so full, it’s gotta be horrendous by now. I did always want three kids…”  _ Phil pushed this thought out of his mind as he arrived at Techno’s fencing studio. He climbed out of the minivan and made his way into the industrial-looking building. Techno was finishing up his class, practicing blocking against another student. Phil settled into one of the chairs in the waiting room, eager to watch his son.

  
  


The instructor clapped his hands to draw the kids attention,

“Ok, that’s it for today! If you’ve got a club sword, bring it over here. Otherwise, have a good week and I’ll see you next time!” Phil stood up, waving to Techno. Techno walked over to the area where the bags were kept and shoved his gear into his pink bag. He had always loved pink. When Techno had started fencing Phil had bought him the best gear he could afford. Perhaps it was a bit much, but he couldn’t help it, he wanted his kid to be happy and do well. 

Techno shoved his bag into his father’s arms and ran to put on his shoes, which were on a mat by the door,

“Hey, Dad! Can you hold this? Thanks.” Phil chuckled, gripping the bag tightly. As soon as Techno had his shoes on, he grabbed the boy’s hand and pushed open the door,

“Hey, kiddo! I got here a bit early and got to watch! You’re getting really good!” Techno squeezed his hand even tighter,

“Thanks. I’ve been practicing really hard. Mr. Fundy said I’m almost ready to move up to the next class!” Phil smiled down at his son, pride shining in his eyes,

“That’s amazing Technoblade. I am so proud of you.” Phil climbed into the car and pulled out of the parking lot, happy to listen to his kid babble about fencing all the way home.

**********************************************************

Hearing a cry from down the hallway, Phil looked up from his book. He got off the couch and went to investigate. Wilbur was sitting on his bedroom floor, tears in his eyes. Phil knocked on the doorframe, alerting Wilbur to his presence,

“What’s the matter, Wilby? Can I help you?” Wilbur wiped his face clear of tears using the heel of his hands. His voice shook as he spoke,

“M-my guitar string broke! A-and Niki and I are supposed to perform for my music class tomorrow and now I can’t! It’s all ruined and Niki’s gonna be so sad.” Phil sat down next to Wilbur, placing a comforting hand on his back,

“It’s only 7:00 pm. We can just go out and get you a new one, it’s gonna be alright buddy.” Wilbur leaned into his father’s touch,

“Really? We can go right now?”

“Sure, let’s just go get Techno.” Phil stood up and beckoned to his son, leaving the room. He knocked on Techno’s door, waiting for a response before entering,

“Hey Techy. C’mon, we’ve gotta go get a new guitar string for your brother.” Techno, who had been bent over a paper at his desk, scribbling away furiously, looked up,

“Why now? I’m busy!” 

“Because Wilbur’s got to perform tomorrow. It won’t take long and it will make Will really happy.” Techno rolled his eyes,

“Ok, fine, but only for Wilbur.” Phil chuckled and left the room, heading to the kitchen to grab his keys and wallet. 

Fifteen minutes later, the group had arrived back home. Wilbur was over the moon, Techno was not,

“I don’t get what’s so great about music anyways. It’s just noise.” Wilbur stuck out his tongue,

“It’s noise that sounds good, dumbass.” Phil sighed, he had no problem with his boys swearing, he knew they would end up doing it as they got older anyways, but insults were not ok,

“Wilbur. Insults are not ok. Apologize to your brother,” Techno opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted, “And you Techno, you need to apologize too. Even if you’re not interested in music, Will loves it, and making fun of that isn’t cool.” Both boys hung their heads in shame. Wilbur was the first to speak up,

“I’m sorry for calling you a dumbass Techy, I didn’t mean it. You hurt my feelings.” Techno placed his hand on Wilbur’s shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze,

“I forgive you. I’m sorry for making fun of your music. You’re really good, and I’m glad you enjoy it. I just wish I had a brother who likes the same stuff as me, ya know?” Wilbur nodded,

“Yeah, I get it. Having another brother would be really cool, actually!” 

  
  


The boys continued to chitchat, but Phil’s mind was back to his earlier thoughts,

“ _ Another brother, huh? I did want a third kid, and I do miss having a baby around. I guess it’s something to think about.”  _ And he did think about it, quite a bit in fact. Over the next two weeks, he came to a decision. A third kid it would be. Of course, he would have to start out fostering them, but as he planned for it to be a baby, there would be no issues with adoption. He had done all the paperwork and made all the phone calls. Now, he just had to break the news to his boys.

**************************************************

“Technoblade, Wilbur! Can you come down here a minute? I’d like to talk to you.” Phil called to his sons, settling comfortably on the couch. After the two boys were seated, Phil began to speak,

“Do you remember a while ago when you said having another brother would be cool?” Techno and Wilbur both nodded, confused, “Ok, well I thought about that a lot. When I adopted you two, the plan was always to adopt another baby later. Obviously, that didn’t happen. But,” Phil paused to take a deep breath, “I’ve decided it’s time. You’re getting another brother!” There was a few seconds of silence before Techno cried out,

“Alright! I hope he likes climbing trees! Then I can teach him to climb and we can be climbing buddies!” Wilbur had a bright smile on his face, he had always been quiet, but Phil could tell he was ecstatic. He finally spoke up once Techno had settled down,

“Maybe he can be a part of Wilbur and the Whales.” Phil ruffled both of their hair,

“I don’t know, guess we’ll have to wait and see.” A new baby, a new brother, excitement filled the air. 

************************************************

A month later, the house was ready. A crib stood in the once unused guest room and everything that could even possibly be dangerous had been stored away. Phil climbed into the minivan, where his old baby carrier had been placed in the back seat. Both Techo and Wilbur were buzzing with excitement. Wilbur was even more excited as he got to sit in the front seat, something he rarely got to do. Phil took a deep breath, he was quite nervous despite having done this before. Wilbur gave him a pat on the bicep,

“It’s ok, Dad. You’re gonna do a good job. You did a good job with us, so you already have practice!” Phil give a terse smile, glad for the words of encouragement,

“Thank you kiddo, I guess you two did turn out alright.” He laughed, before putting the key into the ignition and driving off. 

  
  


The ride was silent and a little tense, but excitement filled the air. When Phil parked in front of the foster care center, he could feel a strong sense of nostalgia building up. He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car, speaking in a wobbly tone,

“It feels like I was just here, picking up you two. I’ll never forget that day. As soon as I saw you, both of you, I knew you were my sons.” Phil brushed away a stray tear that had slipped out. Techno grabbed his father’s hand,

“Don’t get all sappy and sad now, Dad. We have a baby brother to pick up!” Phil nodded,

“You are right, let’s go then!” The trio headed inside the large, rather old-looking building and made their way to the front desk. They were let into a waiting room, where they were told the caseworker would be in a few minutes.

Ten minutes later, the wooden door creaked open. A tall, round-faced man with messy brown hair and mutton chops stepped into the room, a small blonde boy in tow. The boy had a defiant look on his face, and his free hand was balled up in a fist. Phil stood up,

“Er, hello. You are Mr. Schlatt, correct?” The man nodded, giving Phil a polite smile.

“Philza Minecraft, I presume?” Phil nodded, mutely, the man pressed on, “Fantastic. This is Tommy Innit, your new foster son. Now if you’ll just step into my office, we can finish all the paperwork.” Mr. Schlatt gestured to an attached room. Phil turned to his boys,

“You boys wait here, this will only take a bit. Oh, and don’t harass Tommy too much please.” Phil entered the office after Mr. Schlatt and closed the door firmly behind him. Mr. Schlatt cleared his throat and began to speak,

“Alright, so there’s just a few more papers to sign. If you could just-” Phil cut him off, 

“Mr. Schlatt, I thought I was fostering a baby?” Mr. Schlatt paused, looking confused. He shook his head and looked Phil right in the eyes,

“Well, there must have been a mix-up. I don’t know what happened, but you’re stuck with him for a while.” Phil was starting to panic, his house was ready for a baby, not a- “How old is Tommy?” Schlatt glanced at a paper on his desk,

“Six. Look, are you gonna take the kid or not? I understand if you don’t want to, he’s a little devil, or his record sure makes him look that way.” This pushed Phil over the edge. How could anyone call a child, a child who was merely six, a little devil! That was it, he would keep the kid.

“Yes! Yes, I’m taking him home. Give me the papers.” Schlatt looked surprised but handed Phil a stack of paper’s nonetheless. Quickly scanning the papers, Phil scribbled his name at the bottom. He shoved the papers back at Schlatt, still angry with the man. Schlatt grabbed them back and placed them in a folder on his crowded desk. 


	3. Author's note

New chapter will be out in a few days probably. But, should I find a way to incorporate Michael into this story???? lemme know if y'all want that or not. Also, thanks for 250 reads!!!!!! 


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the reads! I am so amazed. Updates will be about once a week around 10pm CST. This isn't definitive, but rather an estimate.  
> Please let me know what I can improve on/ what you'd like to see in this story.  
> Twitter: @dnpnotfound

Tommy was sitting in one of the waiting room’s plastic chairs, his legs folded into his chest. Wilbur and Techno were also sitting down opposite him. Phil ran a hand through his hair, he had three sons, at least for now. He stood in front of Tommy and stuck out his hand,

“Hi there Tommy, I’m Phil. It’s very nice to meet you.” Tommy looked up at Phil, a distrusting look on his face. He stuck out his tongue, ignoring Phil’s outstretched hand,

“Yeah, ok whatever. I don’t care about you, bitch.” He spat the last word viciously. Phil dropped his hand, disappointed but not surprised. He took a step back,

“That’s alright, Tommy. No one’s forcing you to care. Let’s go home now, ok?” Tommy rolled his eyes but stood up all the same. He grabbed the backpack he had been carrying when he first came in. Wilbur and Techno stood up as well, both looked confused. Phil prayed they would stay silent but alas Techno piped up,

“Dad? I thought we were-” Phil shook his head violently, trying to warn Techno to be quiet. The boy seemed to get the hint because he fell silent. 

  
  


There was a strong breeze as the group made their way to the minivan. Suddenly, Phil remembered the baby seat in the car. Panicking, he ran ahead, calling behind him,

“Er, I’ve got to uhh fix something, give me a sec!” Hurriedly, he shoved the baby seat into the trunk, but not before grabbing the stuffed dog he had placed in it. That was one thing that would still work. Wilbur, Techno and Tommy had made their way to the minivan and began to climb in. Phil shoved the dog into Tommy’s hands,

“Here, this is for you. You can name it whatever you like.” A smile began to peek out, but it was soon replaced by a scowl,

“I don’t want this. I’m a big man. I’ll name it Shit. Because that’s what it is.” Techno and Wilbur both looked very shocked by the tiny boy’s attitude. Phil simply shrugged, he knew the boy had liked it, the moment of joy he had spotted told him that.

  
  


The drive home was tense. Wilbur had attempted to start a conversation with Tommy by asking him various questions, mostly about music, but each time he was met with a response that paralleled his previous ones. They pulled into the driveway and Tommy snorted loudly,

“So that’s why I’m here, you lot need the money.” Phil turned to look at him, a sad smile on his face,

“No, we don’t. You’re here because we want you to be.” Techno finally spoke for the first time since the incident in the foster care center,

“Yes. We wanted another brother, that’s why.” His matter-of-fact tone seemed to confuse Tommy, who glared at the boy,

“I don’t believe you. And I am NOT your brother.” Techno shrank back. Phil climbed out of the car and began to think about the house. A six-year-old was not what they had planned for. What would Tommy say about the baby gates? And the bottles? Phil audibly gasped. The nursery! He couldn’t let Tommy see it, otherwise he’d know they were expecting a baby. Thinking on his feet, Phil grabbed Wilbur, who had gotten out of the car, by the shoulders,

“Wilbur! Why don’t you take Tommy and Techno to the park? Show him the neighbourhood!” Phil leaned down to his ear, “Please Wilbur, I need to change the nursery, I can’t let Tommy know we weren’t expecting him.” Wilbur nodded seriously as if he’d just been given an important mission. He waved to Tommy and Techno,

“Good idea! Let’s go you two!” Techno happily followed his brother down the driveway. Tommy, however, trailed behind,

“I don’t have a choice, do I?” He murmured under his breath, reluctantly joining the other two.

Phil dashed up the stairs, the baby gates had been put away and most of the other miscellaneous baby items had been shoved into cupboards. There remained only one big obstacle, the nursery, or what was going to be Tommy’s bedroom. The walls were painted a soft blue with various bear and moon decals stuck on them. Phil quickly grabbed the diapers on a table in the corner. It was meant to be the changing table, but it could just be a table now. He shoved the baby jumper into the closet and did the same with the baby clothes in the drawers of the dresser. Suitably satisfied, Phil paused. There was one big issue- the crib. Tommy couldn’t possibly be made to sleep in the crib, but the bed that had been in the room previously was packed away. Phil sighed,

“I guess he’ll have to do with just a mattress for now.” He sprinted down to the basement, scared the boys could arrive any minute, and dragged it back up from its dusty prison. Throwing into the corner of the room, Phil headed off to find some sheets. He found some blue ones with white stars on them,

“ _ Cute _ ”, he thought, quickly putting them on the makeshift bed. As a final touch, Phil grabbed a blanket from the couch downstairs and messily threw it on. It seemed he had finished just in time because the moment he flopped down in a chair, he could hear the front door being unlocked. Loud shouts rang out from the hallway,

“Dadddd!!! We’re backkkkkk!” Phil chuckled and made his way to them,

“How was the park m’boys?” Techno jumped in first, as usual,

“Fun. I climbed the trees.” Phil nodded, more interested in what the sultry blonde boy had to say,

“Tommy? Got an answer for me?” He tried to joke. Tommy looked up, his face had softened slightly but it was clear he still didn’t trust Phil,

“You didn’t ask me anything.” Phil furrowed his brow, before realizing,

“Sure I did, you’re part of m’boys now. Now, how was the park?” 

“ ‘m not. It was ok, I guess. It’s just a park, I’ve been to a million of them.” Phil allowed the matter to slip, changing the topic,

“Alright, well I’m going to go ahead and make some lunch. Techno? Wilbur? Can you show Tommy his room? Tommy, anything in there is yours to do what you want with. Think of them as presents.” Phil turned and made his way to the kitchen. Wilbur dashed up the stairs, followed closely by Techno who called down to Tommy,

“C’mon. Your room is up here.” Tommy climbed the stairs slowly, every step appearing to be arduous. Eventually, he made his way to the second floor and peered into the room Wilbur was standing in. Noticing the mattress on the floor, Tommy spoke up,

“Why have I got a mattress on the floor? Are you fuckers really too poor to afford beds?” Techno, thinking on his feet, jumped in,

“Dad was worried you’d get nightmares and fall off. Apparently, it’s really common.” Tommy crossed his arms, eyes narrowed in defiance,

“Well, I do NOT get nightmares, so this is just stupid. Also!” He turned to face Techno directly, “Why do you speak like a robot? Actually, don’t answer that, I don’t want to hear your dumb voice again. Now leave.” He pointed to the door. Wilbur and Techno both shuffled out of the room, feeling awkward and mildly scared.

  
  


Wilbur gently closed the door to Tommy’s room and glanced at Techno,

“Hey, Technoblade?” Techno looked up, “Do you think Tommy will ever like us?” Techno looked back down,

“Like us? No, probably not. Tolerate us? Maybe someday.” And with that he headed off towards his room, closing his door rather aggressively.

  
  


Phil padded around the kitchen, fixing a plate of sandwiches and a veggie plate. His mind was racing,

“ _ I mean, I don’t know the kid, I don’t know how to deal with him. I can’t possibly keep him for good. But, then again, to send him away would be so cruel. Especially since it seems like it’s happened many times before.”  _ Phil continued to ponder, judging the pros and cons of the situation. He made his decision eventually,

“ _ He’ll have to go back. I’m just not prepared to deal with him. But, he’s here for now and that’s all that matters. For now.”  _ Phil called up the stairs that lunch was ready. Unsurprisingly, Tommy did not come down. So, Phil ventured up. He knocked gently on the door,

“Hey, bud. There are sandwiches downstairs. Would you like to come down? I can bring one up to you, if not.” There was silence for a moment before a small voice said,

“C-can I eat in here?” Phil nodded, before remembering the closed door and assuring Tommy,

“Of course, I’ll be back in a sec.” This same routine continued for several weeks, with Phil knocking on Tommy’s door, asking if he’d like to join them to eat, or play, or participate in whatever activity they were doing at the moment and Tommy responding, sometimes angrily, other times meekly, that he’d rather not. The only times he was seen was when he used the washroom and the few times he ventured down the stairs asking for a snack, which he would then eat in his room. 

  
  


Phil knocked at the door, not sure why he continued to do this and called into the room,

“Tommy? We’re watching Up. Do you want to watch with us?” There was some shuffling from within before Tommy responded,

“Up is my favourite movie ya know.” Phil, delighted to hear this, nearly jumped with joy,

“Great! You coming then?” Tommy pushed open the door. Tear stains were visible on his cheeks, and he was wearing pyjamas. He walked past Phil and made his way down the stairs, calling behind him,

“This is only because I like Up! Not because of “family bonding” or whatever.” Phil grinned and followed him down the stairs.

Two hours later, the credits rolled. Phil yawned, looking to his left to see a snoring Technoblade and a sleeping Wilbur. Tommy poked his side on his right,

“I um I just,” Tommy took a deep breath, “Thanks. You’re like, really nice. And I don’t know because I’m kind of annoying and a jerk. But you are and um yeah- thanks.” He looked away from Phil, obviously embarrassed. Phil was shocked,

“Oh, Tommy. You don’t need to say thank you. This is what anybody would do for a kid. And besides, you’re not annoying, you’re quite funny actually.” Tommy stood up, clearly too embarrassed to respond,

“I’m um, going to go to bed. G-goodnight.” Phil smiled fondly,

“Goodnight Tommy” The small blonde boy disappeared up the stairs. Phil couldn’t help but sigh, Tommy really was something. Such a shame he wouldn’t be here much longer. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry, please don't hate me!


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being a bit late! It's finals week so I've been busy studying lol. I think the formatting is a bit off for this chapter, so let me know if it's unreadable. Anyways enjoy!

The kitchen was cheerful and bright, as usual. Techno and Wilbur were scarfing down bowls of cereal, as usual. A small blonde head popped through the doorway, all activity paused. Phil collected himself,

“Well, hello Tommy. Good morning. Would you like some cereal?” Tommy nodded, clearly very nervous. Phil pulled out a bowl from the cupboard and set it on the table,

“Here, sit down. Frosties or Coco Pops?” Tommy shrugged, plopping down into the chair,

“ ‘S not important.” Phil poured out Coco Pops and headed to the fridge to grab the milk. Both Techno and Wilbur had remained silent since Tommy had entered. Wilbur quietly spoke up,

“So, um, Tommy. Did you like the movie last night?” Tommy’s eyes widened, excited. Then a flash of fear covered his face and his expression returned to neutral,

“It’s a good movie. I haven’t seen it in a while.” Phil came back to the table and filled Tommy’s bowl with milk. He handed him a spoon with a smile,

“Well, I’m really glad you’ve joined us this morning.” Tommy began to eat in silence. Conversation eventually returned to normal, with Tommy remaining quiet. Eventually, he finished his food and stood up. He placed his bowl in the sink and turned to Phil,

“Thank you. Can I go back to the room?” Phil nodded,

“Of course, you don’t need to ask. And it’s  _ your _ room now.” Tommy slowly made his way out of the room. 

  
  


Several hours later, Techno and Wilbur had left for school. The house was quiet and Phil was nearly asleep. He had been coding all morning. From behind him came the pattering of feet, Phil turned around to see Tommy standing with his arms crossed,

“Hey! Bitch! I have ONE fucking outfit. Can I get some proper fucking clothes or what?” Phil jumped at the angry tone of the boy’s voice. He stood up, stretching,

“Yeah, totally. I would have gone sooner but I didn’t want to go without you. I didn’t know what kinda stuff you’d like.” Tommy looked confused,

“Gone? Where?” Phil walked past the boy, ruffling his hair,

“To the store, of course” Tommy sped after the man, still obviously confused,

“O-oh.” He crossed his arms again, a scowl appearing on his face, “Are you trying to bribe me?” Phil sighed, in a way he was. Tommy was only going to be there a bit longer and maybe this would only make it worse. But, he couldn’t just not provide for him. He forced a cheery smile onto his face,

“Tommy, I’m doing this because I want to. I want you to have nice things because you deserve them.”  _ And because I doubt you’ll be getting this type of affection for a long, long time.  _ Phil sighed again, upset that he had to do this. He beckoned behind him,

“C’mon kiddo, let’s go buy some clothes.”

  
  


Phil pushed his cart down the aisle, heading towards the clothes section. He and Tommy had remained largely quiet since leaving the house. Phil cleared his throat,

“So Tommy. What kind of clothing would you like? D’ya like any specific designs?” Tommy shrugged, trying to avoid speaking. Phil continued to press,

“What colours do you like to wear?” Tommy sighed,

“Red is nice, I guess” Phil stopped walking, they had reached the correct area. He gestured towards the rows and shelves of boys’ shirts, pants and sweaters,

“Well. Go ahead and take your pick.” Tommy turned to look at Phil, his eyes widened in disbelief,

“A-anything? Don’t you have a price I need to stay at? Like 5 pounds or summat?” Phil shook his head,

“Of course not. You’re much too young to worry about such things anyway. Just pick what you like.” Tommy blinked, trying to process,

“O-ok. And what do you mean too young? D’you think I’m too stupid to understand money?” His vicious tone returned. He cautiously began to pick through some t-shirts on a nearby rack, checking the price on each. Phil began to look through some long-sleeves on the opposite side of the aisle,

“No, no, you’re plenty smart. But you’re six Tommy. Six-year-olds should worry about… playing tag and… climbing trees and… I don’t know,” He turned around, wild-eyed, ”you shouldn’t have to worry about the real world!” Tommy paused. He turned around and to stare directly into Phil’s eyes,

“Maybe some six-year-olds don’t have to. But I do. It’s the only way to survive.” Tears began to form in his eyes but he wiped them away roughly, “I’ve seen more shit than you ever will! And once you discard me like everyone else does then yeah, I’ll have to worry about the real world!” Tommy’s words hit Phil in the gut. 

He was just like everyone else, wasn’t he? Just like the shiny rich businessmen and women fostering a child to show off to their friends, as if to scream, “I’m a good person!” Just like the parents with far too many kids already, fostering a child with dollar signs in their eyes, treating them like a lump of cash. 

Phil stared down at this small blonde boy, his fists clenched and his eyes steely. This poor boy who had never been truly cared for, this poor boy who has tried so hard with the hand he was dealt, this poor boy who- Phil gasped. This poor boy who-  _ was his son. _ The realization felt the same as it had with both Technoblade and Wilbur. Phil knelt down to Tommy’s level and placed his hands on Tommy’s shoulders, he took a deep breath and then spoke, 

“Tommy. I, Philza Minecraft, sincerely promise you that you will never again have to worry about the real world. I am here for you. Forever. You are my son. Forever.” Phil managed to speak clearly but as soon as he was finished his throat closed up. Tommy looked shocked. After a moment, he placed his arms around Phil, fiercely hugging him. The embrace broke after a minute and Phil stood up, wiping the tears from his eyes,

“Well, have you picked out anything yet?” Tommy shook his head and turned to another rack of t-shirts. Tears still streaked down both of their faces as they rifled through t-shirts. Tommy pulled out a white shirt with red three-quarters sleeves. He turned to Phil, holding it up,

"I, um, I like this one?” Phil gave a thumbs up,

“Great, go ahead and dump it in the cart then. Hey, do you know your size in pants?” Tommy shook his head, blushing slightly,

“I don’t ever get stuff that fits, or new stuff actually ” Phil made a strangled noise of anger,

“Well, you do now. We’ll just have to see what fits. D’you wanna try these on?” Phil held up a pair of light-wash blue jeans in a size 10. Tommy nodded,

“Sure, they’re good.” Phil placed them into the cart. 

About half an hour and three fitting room trips later the cart was filled with an assortment of t-shirts, jeans and hoodies. They made their way to the cashier, Tommy trailing behind slightly. The lines were all rather long, so Phil picked the shortest one and turned to look at Tommy, his son. Tommy was fiddling with his fingers looking kind of nervous. Phil furrowed his brow,

“Something wrong kiddo?” Tommy looked away, gulped and then spoke,

“This is a bribe, isn’t it?” Phil shook his head, he knew that Tommy would need plenty of reassurance before fully trusting him,

“Nope. Not at all.”  _ Not anymore _ . “You’re my kid. And parents buy their kids things.” Tommy nodded his head as if trying to convince himself. They made their way through the checkout and headed home.

Phil marched up the stairs several hours later. He knocked on Techno and Wilbur’s doors, calling them down for dinner. He stopped in front of Tommy’s door, knocking much more quietly,

“Hey, Tommy. Dinner’s ready. Would you like me to bring some to you-” A shout from within cut Phil off,

“No! No, I-I’ll come down. Thank you again for the clothes.” Phil chuckled, this was probably the tenth time he had repeated those words,

“Alright then. You seriously don’t need to thank me anymore though. I know you’re grateful.” Tommy didn’t respond, he opened the door and brushed past Phil, heading down the stairs. Phil followed him down, joining his other sons in the kitchen. Techno and Wilbur were discussing some tv show. They paused briefly upon seeing Tommy then began to speak again. Techno faced forward, looking at Tommy, who sat across from him,

“Hello, Tommy. We were talking about Power Rangers. Do you like Power Rangers?” Tommy shrugged,

“I’ve never watched it.” Phil was incredibly happy to hear more than a one-word response,

“Well, these two love it. I’m sure they’ll make sure you see every episode soon enough.” Tommy smiled, it was obviously forced, but it was clear he was trying,

“Ok. I hope I’ll like it.” Phil had dished out the food and so the four of them began to dig in. Soon a conversation around hobbies arose. Wilbur pointed his fork at Tommy,

“What about you? Got any hobbies?” Tommy thought for a moment,

“At one house they had a computer with Minecraft. I liked that. They also had a dog I really loved. I like animals.” Techno nodded,

“We have Minecraft too. Dad and I play all the time, we have a server and a polar bear named Steve. You should play with us soon!” Wilbur piped up,

“Hell yeah! And I love animals too! My best friend Niki and I like to feed birds.” Phil laughed,

“I also quite enjoy Minecraft. Techno and I have created a nice little server for ourselves. We’ll definitely have to get you in on that. And Wilbur I told you not to do that. We’re gonna have entire flocks in our driveway soon!” Wilbur giggled, mumbling a small sorry.  Tommy spoke again,

“Birds get really clingy. I don’t like them!” Soon the three boys were discussing the pros and cons of birds. Phil sat back and watched them. He was so proud to see Tommy really trying, he knew it must be hard. Soon they had cleared their plates. Phil stood up and began to clear the table. He spoke as he did so,

“It’s family game night Tommy. Are you ready to kick some ass in Monopoly?” Tommy physically cringed at the word “family”. A scowl replaced the polite smile that had been plastered on his face the whole meal,

“No. I’m not doing a stupid family game night. What a dumb fucking idea.” Phil sighed, they had been making so much progress but perhaps he had been a bit ambitious. He returned to the table,

“Alright then.” He turned to Wilbur, “I’m gonna kick your ass at Monopoly still though!” He grinned competitively and then turned back to Tommy, “But if you change your mind c’mon down and join us, ok?” Tommy rolled his eyes and stomped out of the kitchen, expecting Phil to chase after him with a spoon, or at the least some harsh words but there was nothing. He made his way back to his room. Maybe he had made a bad choice, but the word family was never good. It was used for manipulation and trickery. It meant betrayal later.

Much later that night, Tommy stared up at the ceiling. There were glowing stars stuck to it. This all seemed too good to be true. Phil was so nice and he couldn’t figure out why. Even when he had shouted and gotten angry, Phil was still calm and nice and trustworthy. Tommy could feel his guard slowly slipping and it scared him. He didn’t want to be the angry, surly kid anymore. 

_ “No! No! Anger protects you! That’s the only way to survive! Being nice only gets you hurt!” _ , a voice screamed from the back of his mind. Tommy sighed. He needed more time to figure out what Phil wanted from him. For now, he was going to sleep.

  
  


Further down the hallway, Phil stared up at his ceiling. Today had been, well, monumental. He finally had another son! It was everything he wanted. Tommy was everything he wanted. Of course, Phil knew there was tons of work ahead of him. But it was work he was willing to do. For Tommy. For his son. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please go vote on this poll to let me know how you want the next chapter to be: https://twitter.com/dnpnotfound/status/1372373140169355266
> 
> Leave me comments! Love you all! Byeeee <3


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